Review: Epson Runsense SF-810V
We're playing with quite a few fitness bands at the moment - it's that time of year - and the word "playing" is important to note. Stylist, affordable health trackers are everywhere now, helping to gameify general fitness, and on the whole these discreet devices are doing a valiant job of motivating folks to get off the couch and do a little bit more stretching and moving.
But after a while, some of those folks will feel the burning desire to go a step further, and before long they've purchased some skintight lycra and started rising at 5am to go for a sprint up an icy hill. This is where the more dedicated, and more expensive, running tools like the Forerunner series from Garmin and the new Runsense from Epson come in to play.
Now, first off, Epson might make you think of printers – and jolly good ones, at that – but the Japanese company actually has a rich heritage in watches, with the Seiko Epson Corporation developing the world's first quartz watch in 1969, for example. Does that mean you should you part with £260 for its latest run-tracker offering? Let's see...
Setup
The Runsense that I tested was already 50 per cent charged when I plucked it out of the box. So I popped it in its charger - a ludicrously bulky plastic case like the sort you'd juice rechargeable batteries in, not the slimmest thing to slip in a kit bag - and left it for an hour or so to reach full capacity. It tells you exactly what percentage it's at as it charges, which is handy. In the meantime, I set about downloading the app and reading through the instructions and online set up.Now, as mentioned, this isn't your general step-counting fitness band like the Garmin Vivosmart that I recently tested, it's designed for – and, we're told, partly designed by – dedicated runners. Therefore it's not a device you de-box, slap on and start enjoying instantly; it's a tool which requires a bit more configuration and getting used to.
It's a shame then, given the inherent complicated nature of these sorts of things, that the companion Run Connect app is quite confusing and not just a little bit frustrating. This is an app which requires PIN codes, registration emails, spinning wheels of death and, usually I found, a pop up saying something has failed.
Getting an email with the subject line: "Start using the service", your heart sinks a bit when you scan down to the main body of the email to read: "When using NR Uploader, you need to update Run Connect first. 1) PC App - Start Run Connect - Change Login ID and Password 2) Smartphone…" etc etc…
Speaking of hearts, it's telling that mine went from pumping out 60bmp to 87bmp during online setup, according to the device (but then if you look at this picture, it also recorded the resting heart rate of an unworn running shoe to be 85bpm, so I'm not sure what to think - more on this later.
Another confusing pop-up notification we got on the app was "Cannot detect the watch. Error code: 20-3302-0018". Right. In other words, although I wouldn't expect these things to be as simple to set up as setting up an everyday health tracker, I felt it could be a bit… ok, a lot more intuitive than it is.
From the Run Connect app, your data is uploaded to the Runsense View Portal online, so you can analyse your exercise data. Though it was not possible for me to set up and register for this via my iPhone because things as simple as putting in date of birth were rendered impossible by the calendar being half off the screen, with seemingly no way to resolve matters. The infrastructure simply isn't set up in a way that people use their tech in 2015.
Watch design
So, on to the actual watch itself. It's actually pretty neat; intuitive, if aesthetically a tad dry, and relatively easy to navigate on a run, with four pages of vital info to scroll through, providing data such as splits, heart rate, time, altitude, stride (more of which later) and only four well-spaced buttons (Light, Disp./HR, Lap and Start/Stop) to get the hang of.The rubbery strap has loads of holes so you can make sure it fits really well and I had no issues with chafing or lack of comfort on long runs. It's water resistant and has a bright, easy-to-read, no nonsense screen. If it's dark, simply click the Light button and the screen will illuminate for around 10 seconds, which was good - a lot of more casual fitness trackers only give you about 2 seconds of illumination, which is part of how they make the battery life last for weeks instead of a day.
I only had a couple of instances, due to the position of the 'Start/Stop' button (protruding at the 1pm position when worn on the left wrist) hitting the back of my hands and pressing. Though this lets off a loud beep and wasn't really much of an issue.
On The Run
When tested on a very well-known route with a reliable app for comparison, the Runsense measured distance accurately enough for my purposes - only a 0.2 mile discrepancy over 10 miles - thanks to reliable GPS, which locked on within a minute, and a clever Smart Stride feature, which takes over when GPS is lost, having learnt your running style to keep track on distance and pace in the meantime.As mentioned above, it measures heart rate without the need for a chest strap, but unlike on the generally reliable TomTom MultiSport Cardio, which uses the same basic tech, results did seem rather wild. Maybe I wasn't wearing it tight enough for bright green sensor on the back to cope, but the need for circulation will always get the nod over monitoring.
The battery life - billed as 20 hours on a full charge - still had ages to go after two hours of running, so you'd be fine using this over marathon distances. You can set phases for interval training, variable target pacing and laps to suit your regime - not very intuitively, so read those instructions - and there's also an indoor mode for gym running, sans GPS.
Analysis
The Runsense monitors many things. The Lap function records: Manual Lap, Auto Lap Distance, Auto Lap Time and Programmable Lap. You can record intervals for time, distance and heart rate zone, and set goals for distance and time. There are also alarms you can set for distance, pace and heart rate. What's more, you can measure cumulative ascent in altitude, descent, gradient, stride and calories burned. So it's not skimping on features.This data is fed to the app via Bluetooth and then you can analyse all the data in graphs on the Runsense View Portal online from your desktop.
That's the theory anyway. Every time I tried to access this View Portal from my MacBook, I was somehow always just taken back to Epson's general Runsense product information page on their website in an endless circle of migraine. In fact, the Portal webpage doesn't seem to be compatible with Mac at all, which seems bizarre, firstly because Macs are pretty popular, and secondly because accessing the Portal from a phone's browser is impossible, as mentioned earlier.
So analysing my actual runs online, something you can do quite easily in great detail on any platform from a free app such as Endomondo, required the use of a PC. On this platform, the UI felt about five years out of date.
More damningly, while there was no shortage of data to analyse, the RunSense system made no effort to contextualise it, or offer coaching or tips of any kind. You need to be a self-starter with a lot of patience to get the most out of this watch.
Verdict
To put it in a sentence: nice watch, shame about the app.We like
The Runsense SF-810V is a decent running watch for the price. It's accurate and fast when it comes to GPS lock, with good battery life, a clear screen and lots of features.We dislike
The heart rate monitor doesn't instil the most confidence, being inaccurate when the strap's at a comfortable tightness, for me at any rate.However, Epson's real Achilles' heel is its software. The drab app, tiresome setup and baffling web accessibility ause a seriously twitchy left eye and leave a bad taste in the mouth – something you already have when knackered after two hours of running.
Verdict
Now, to be fair, compared to much of its competition, £260 is relatively cheap. However, it's not "cheap" in a broader sense, and I'd like the software issues sorted out before shelling out that much for the Runsense. The question for a running watch is always, "Can it replace my smartphone?" Until the software backing it up improves the answer from me in this case is, "No, not really."
Read More ...
Running Man of Tech: 10k a day: Adidas SmartRun and Jabra Pulse reviewed
Adidas SmartRun and Jabra Pulse
It's the new year, which means you'll be constantly battling past hordes of newly-inspired runners as you trudge your way to work once more.But what if you wanted to join them but are scared you lack the speed? Or perhaps you're already pounding the streets in your well-worn trainers and are looking to spice things up with a touch of technology here and there?
Well, you're in luck. I'm currently running 10k every day – yes, every day – and over the coming weeks I'll be testing out some the best (and, to be frank, less best) running technology that the gadget world has to offer.
This will range from smart scales to clever running watches to bewitching Bluetooth headphones, all of them promising to make your attempts to get from one place to another a little bit faster, and more entertaining.
Here in the inaugural column I take a look at a rather fancy running watch and headphones that help you ditch the heart rate strap.
Adidas SmartRun
First up is the Adidas SmartRun - an oddity in the tech world in that it's actually been out for over a year, yet doesn't seem to be showing any signs of age. In fact, with numerous updates since then it's a much, much better version of the running watch that launched in 2013.The great thing about the watch is its integration with Adidas' online miCoach platform, one of the best out there for every runner, ranging from the complete beginner to the seasoned trail warrior.
Simply key in what you want to do, whether it's run a race at a certain pace, get better for a sport or just de-stress, let it know what days you're available, and it'll come up with a tailor made plan to get you there.
This all syncs with the watch over Wi-Fi, which works both ways, so the second you step in the front door you'll be able to analyse all the information from your trot.
The other great thing is the inbuilt heart rate monitor, which means you can drop the strap and just use the optical sensor under the watchface to pulse light under the skin, making training that much better thanks to being able to work out effort based on how hard the ol' ticker is working, compared to just speed.
It's not a bad looker either, despite being a bit chunky - I wasn't ashamed to wear it out and about as a timepiece which adds to the convenience.
The latest update is one of the best for the SmartRun, as it brings 6 months' integration with MixRadio, a service that will deliver all manner of curated playlists to help you run that little bit more motivated. You can chuck your own MP3s on there too, but this involves USB leads and computers, where the MR option gives you a selection of tunes almost instantly.
It's not all good news with Adidas' running watch though. Firstly, there's the price: you'll struggle to get it anywhere for less than £260, with that cost not dropping much since launch…
Battery life
…And this is the other problem.You'll get a long run out of the SmartRun, but that's about it (give or take a few hours of time-keeping). It was much worse at the beginning, so the updates have really helped, but this is more smartwatch-level of battery... which is irritating when its competitors can last over five times as long.
The GPS accuracy is also too generous, which is nice when you're knackered but not so great when you want to improve your speed and distance with precision. It's generally not massive – say 100 or so metres over a 5K run on average – but I did have instances in races where it would add nearly 10% to the distance travelled, which is awful if you're attempting to run to pace.
Despite that, it's still one of my favourite running watches for general training, especially when I want to load a few podcasts into my run and don't want to carry a phone with me.
Best for: The intermediate runner
Jabra Pulse
I was so excited to try these out, as the Jabra Pulse set packs so many features in that they could feasibly remove the need for a running watch altogether.
You will need a phone though, as there's no inbuilt tracking apps in the headphones themselves, but what they do have is a very accurate heart rate monitor.
Actually, I need to caveat that last statement: the monitor should be very accurate, as they've been tested to be as accurate as medical test, sensing your pulse from inside the ear. However, I've got what doctors call "rubbish ears" for headphones, as they constantly fall out due to, apparently, lacking conventional human parts.
So the heart rate tracking was terribly inaccurate for me. However, I've spoken to a few other users that have worn them regularly, and they've raved about the fit and accuracy - so let's assume that they work just as advertised for the normal people.
The heart rate sensing is very quick to lock in - plus the set up you need to go through when connecting the Pulse headphones to either an iPhone or Android handset is very thorough.
You'll need to download the Jabra Sport app to get them set up (and with Android, the Jabra services app, which leaves an annoying icon running in the notifications bar) but once that's sorted you can use them with myriad other services, such as Strava.
On top of that, the Jabra Sport app can track your VO2 Max level (assessing the level of oxygen in the blood when exercising to track your fitness) or check if you're overtraining... an excellent test for something most athletes struggle to work out.
The design of the Jabra Pulse is also excellent - while they're plastic and rubber, the range of fits with the little ear 'wings' is excellent, the weight feels just right and they're IP55 rated, which means sweat or rain won't be a problem... plus they can survive being tossed around in gym bags easily.
The controls on the neckband are also large and easy to find, so should you want to pause music, change the volume / tracks or even take a call, it's all very easy to do on the go.
Another nifty feature that's often overlooked is the countdown start. Press go on your smartphone and you get a 10 second beep sequence, so you've got time to put away your phone and get the best running pose ready without having to try to do the same on the go and watching with horror as your new Galaxy handset smashes on the pavement.
The control section is a little large though, and this causes the neckband to bounce about wildly at pace. I took to using a safety pin to hold it in place, so it would have been nice if Jabra had added something a bit more professional in to do the same thing.
While they are Bluetooth, the Jabra Pulse headphones aren't very good without a smartphone - for instance, if you want to connect them to a running watch (the SmartRun above is a good example) then you're plum out of luck... it seems to need a certain set of under the hood services to connect.
And of course we've got the issue of price: these aren't cheap at £200. They do justify that cost, but I still find it hard to choose them over the convenience of a running watch as they can't track data without a smartphone attached, which kind of negates the point of having something so lightweight for running.
Then there's the issue with them falling out of my ears, with the associated loss in accuracy. I'm aware that most users won't have the same problem, but if you can find a way to try before you buy – easier said than done with in-ears, I know – I'd recommend you do.
In summary, these Jabra Pulse headphones are excellent for the runner who has a smartphone and wants to add in heart rate tracking. They sound great, the volume is good and the functionality excellent - if a touch on the expensive side to add to your running arsenal.
Best for: The serious trainer
Got a question? Let rip in the comments below or have a word on Twitter: @superbeav
Read More ...
Fighting Talk: Why is your password still password?
One of the regular surveys into our password habits has revealed that they're still mostly terrible, with plenty of people using the easiest, most obvious, guessable options to protect their precious online lives, and two-factor authentication reserved for the hardcore and the paranoid.
It seems people are happy to use the same password across multiple sites and have "123456" protecting their main email account (and therefore their access to their entire data universe), despite regular warnings about how this isn't a great idea as if one thing gets hacked everything else falls with it.
But how can you encourage people to be more interested in using complex passwords and authentication methods, when there's no immediate downside to having password for a password?
It's kind of a boring thing, but, like wearing a seatbelt or replacing the battery in your fire alarm, one that can make things much better for you in the long run should something bad happen.
And not 2820 either
As people clearly can't be trusted, perhaps there should be a two-tier internet, like the filtered versions arriving in the UK thanks to the ISPs and their adult content blockers.If your password is 123456 or "password," you get a special version of the internet, one that's filtered, and presented entirely in Comic Sans, so you can't do any damage to yourself or others.
Banking sites are blocked, online shopping accounts require an adult signed in with a proper password to vouch for you, plus email is limited to read only as you're clearly a bit too stupid to be trusted to converse with grown-ups.
And if people complain about that, it must come down to the service providers to force their users to comply to proper password rules.
My internet bank requires me to turn up at a branch with a urine sample and a letter from my dad it's so bloody hard to sign in to it these days, but Gmail's happy for me to use the same password I've used for everything since 1996.
Who's wrong there? I'm less likely to do any internet banking because it's such a chore to use the special codes, memorable words, card readers and devices they need to verify I'm me and not a Russian bot, whereas Gmail's always open because it stays logged in and is, therefore, my friend.
If Gmail forced everyone to use two-factor authentication, people would stop using Gmail because of the additional fuss it'd generate and move to a less secure option. That's how lazy we all are.
But then again, aren't we all constantly being hacked in much more intelligent and imaginative ways than people guessing our passwords nowadays? Guessing passwords is a bit 1980s.
When you've got gangs putting fake card readers over the top of ATM slots to steal PIN numbers and keyloggers installing themselves in the background when you visit web sites, bothering about secure passwords feels like fighting a pointless, losing battle.
Someone's going to find out your password and special numbers no matter what they are or how many odd alternate characters and capital letters you're using, so perhaps the only defence and way to stay sane is to stop caring and hope it doesn't happen to you.
That's the same way we manage to not worry about getting crushed by falling masonry when going outside. Imagine it won't happen to you, and if it does, don't worry, as someone will probably help pick up the bits.
Read More ...
Here's how you can download the latest Windows 10 preview
You've stared dewy-eyed at its Start Menu, longed for its multiple desktops and salivated over its future on the smartphone -- and now it's here. The latest Windows 10 preview code can be yours in just a few clicks.
To give Microsoft's latest OS a test-drive, head on over to the Windows Insider Program where you can download it by following Microsoft's instructions.
- Everything we know about Windows 10
Start me up
There's a ton of new features waiting for you if you decide to take the plunge. They include Microsoft's digital assistant Cortana, which has been ported over from Windows Phone.Additionally, there's a new, fuller Start menu that still looks very Windows 8 but promises to bring a whole new level of organisation to your Windows apps.
You can grab them via a new "universal" Windows Store app that introduces an all-new design and will look the same across different devices.
Gamers should take note of Windows 10's new Xbox App, which brings more information on what your friends are doing at that moment in time. If you're interested in what Windows 10 means for Xbox and PC gaming, you can check out our thoughts here.
- Is the new OS any good? Read our hands on Windows 10 review to find out
Read More ...
Week in Gaming: HoloLens, Xbox streaming, and GTA rampages
If last week belonged squarely to Nintendo and its gaming announcements then this week is property of Microsoft. Its big Windows 10 livestream contained plenty of exciting news for Xbox fans and non-believers alike, if you could sit through all the other slightly boring parts.
By far the most exciting thing was the announcement of HoloLens – Microsoft's answer to the VR/AR trend and potential rival to Sony's Project Morpheus and the Oculus Rift. Don't get confused by the name though, there aren't any projected holograms here. Instead the HoloLens overlays images on whatever you are looking at, so you can build a Minecraft environment around your living room, making it even more like Lego but without the mortal danger of stepping on a piece barefoot.
Like most VR/AR/hologram projects the HoloLens won't be on your face for a while, but when it does arrive we hope it won't be as expensive as Google Glass, and that it'll stick around for longer.
In more tangible news, Windows 10 devices (laptops, desktops and tablets) will be able to stream Xbox One games so long as they are on the same Wi-Fi network. That means you could play Halo: The Master Chief Collection in bed without moving your TV and console from the living room.
This is good news if you live in a divided household that's caught up in the console war – one of you can play PS4 and the vastly inferior Destiny downstairs, while the clearly superior human plays Halo upstairs, without the need for a second TV or moving your costly consoles around. You'll also be able to cross-platform play online, so you won't have to worry about friends who are streaming on their PCs.
Game of Game of Thrones
TellTale has confirmed the release date for the second episode of its amazing Game of Thrones game. Titled The Lost Lords it will be released February 3 on Steam, PS4 and PS3, February 4 on Xbox 360 and Xbox One and February 5 on iOS and Android. If you're a fan of the books or the TV show (or both) then this game is a must play. In true Game of Thrones style it will have you shouting at your TV from the start and I'd put money on it making you cry. You also get to experience an excruciating wait between episodes, and if there's one thing fans of George R R Martin's series enjoy it's waiting.If you still haven't watched Game of Thrones then it's time you came out of your cave. Seriously, just watch it, play this game, then come back and thank me in the comments.
ESO used be an adventurer like you...
This may be the least shocking news of 2015, and it's still only January: Elder Scrolls Online is removing its subscription options in favour of a Guild Wars 2 style buy-to-play option. But really, we all knew this was coming. The game hasn't quite lived up to the hype and they did take away the 6-month subscription plan in December, which was definitely a sign of things to come.If I was a fan of ESO I'd be feeling very worried about the future of this MMO right now. Luckily my soul belongs to World of Warcraft. And by luckily I mean, please god someone help me with my WoW addiction.
It wouldn't be a week in gaming without a bit of Nintendo news. This week Nintendo announced that it will be closing Club Nintendo and starting up a new rewards system. Club Nintendo will be phased out in three stages, starting April 1 this year. So if you want novelty golf balls, a keyring or a Nintendo blanket now's the time to spend those hard earned stars.
Also for Nintendo fans, here's a custom Amiibo of Villager in his true form: axe murdering psychopath (aka young Patrick Bateman). If you want to turn your Villager Amiibo into a similar vision of terrifyingly cute horror then you can buy a tiny axe for him here.
Talking of gleeful murder sprees, look at this video of some oldies playing Grand Theft Auto 5. It's hilarious. GTA is truly the great leveller – no matter your age or gender we all become maniacs when faced with an open world environment, a gun and zero consequences. Scary and yet quite comforting.
Read More ...
Review: WD Sentinel DX4200
Introduction and performance
At first glance it looks like little more than just another 4-bay NAS appliance, but the Sentinel DX4200 from Western Digital stands out from the crowd both in terms of the hardware involved and the Windows rather than Linux software it runs. Moreover, the DX4200 is very much aimed at businesses with existing Windows servers and expertise looking to add flexible network storage to the mix.A proper server in a box
Housed in a conventional desktop NAS cube, the DX4200 eschews the plastic panels found on lesser consumer products in favour of a solid, all-metal, construction. A somewhat bulky AC brick provides the power and, although only one PSU comes as standard, another can be purchased and plugged in to keep the appliance running should either of the pair suffer a failure.A large and quite noisy single fan located at the rear keeps the unit nice and cool with a couple of Gigabit network ports above, together with four USB 3.0 ports that can be used to attach external backup drives. You can also plug in a keyboard and mouse, and a screen via the VGA port alongside, to directly manage the DX4200 just as you would a standard Windows server. When not doing that, however, a small LCD panel at the front summarises what's going on inside with, underneath, a lockable door behind which the storage lies and it's here that things start to get interesting.
Unlike a lot of NAS boxes, the DX4200 comes fully populated with four hard drives. Choose the 8TB model fitted with four 2TB disks and you'll pay around £1,080 ex VAT (around $1,693, or AU$2,036) while the 16TB system we looked at comes with a set of 4TB disks, for which you'll have to spend £1,390 ex VAT (around $2,180, or AU$2,620).
These prices may seem a little on the high side for a 4-bay NAS, especially when compared to low-end, consumer models. The DX4200 is very much an enterprise product and, instead of the consumer disks found on those products, comes with "Enterprise-class" WD Se drives, incorporating features to deliver both extra performance and greater reliability.
The disks are also hot-pluggable and simply slide into place with no special carriers or tools required. Plus there's a bonus in the form of a separate 2.5in boot disk which means you can use every bit of space on the four larger disks just for data.
The boot disk is a 500GB WD AV-25 drive primarily used in set-top boxes and surveillance systems. It's also tucked away under the hood which means powering off and attacking the chassis with a screwdriver to gain access. However, that's not an issue as it comes ready formatted and pre-loaded with the Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 software used to drive the Sentinel appliance. Moreover, if you're at all concerned about availability you can add an optional second AV-25 disk and create a RAID 1 mirrored pair for rapid recovery should one of the boot disks fail.
An Intel Atom C2338 "Avoton" quad-core processor provides the motive power to drive the NAS accompanied by 4GB of ECC-protected RAM. Clocked at 1.7GHz the Atom is far from the fastest CPU on the block and, at times, this was noticeable. That said we only felt the lack of "zip" when using the Windows desktop to manage the appliance. As far as file sharing performance was concerned, it didn't seem to cause any problems.
Getting started
If you're used to powering up a Linux-based NAS, configuring it via the cloud, then managing it through a browser, the Sentinel DX4200 is something of a culture shock. To start with you have to find and plug in a screen, keyboard and mouse, then use these to run through a wizard-led setup procedure to customise the pre-installed Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 software.Fortunately it doesn't take long or require much in the way of technical expertise and once completed there's an easy-to-use WD StorCentral dashboard utility to help with day-to-day monitoring and management. You can also do what we did and use Remote Desktop to manage the Sentinel NAS from somewhere more comfortable.
But that's not the whole story as the WD StorCentral dashboard doesn't offer much beyond showing you the current status of the NAS and what's inside. When it comes to actually making changes, such as configuring and sharing the all important storage, it hands over to tools in Windows Server which, for the uninitiated, can be a little daunting.
There's a lot to get to grips with, not least because, instead of hardware-based RAID, Windows Storage Server uses Microsoft's Storage Spaces technology to both virtualise the available storage and provide the same kind of protection against data corruption and hardware failure normally afforded by RAID.
Server Manager is used to configure and manage Storage Spaces with the physical disks first assigned to one or more storage pools across which data is distributed and recovery information stored to provide either simple, mirrored or parity pooling - equating, more or less, to RAID 0, 1 or 5 protection. The type of pooling is specified when virtual disks are created, a storage pool with space either allocated immediately or on demand to effectively support thin provisioning. Lastly Windows shares need to be associated with each virtual disk to make the storage available on the network and assign permissions using standard Windows management tools.
For experienced Windows Server admins this will all be second nature, but for those new to the environment or a little rusty, getting to grips with Server Manager and other Windows utilities can be hard work. This is not helped by a lack of documentation beyond how to setup the hardware. That said, Windows Storage Server can be mastered by novices and the DX4200 requires no more in the way of day-to-day oversight than most Linux-based alternatives.
Performance
The performance you get will depend on both how the storage is configured and how the network ports are employed. Two Gigabit ports are available and these can be setup to provide failover redundancy or aggregated for combined bandwidth.We used just one port for our tests using the ATTO Disk Benchmark which, when run against a simple (RAID 0) thin provisioned virtual disk returned respectable read and write speeds of around 116MB/sec respectively.
Unfortunately write speeds did fall when we added in the overhead of a parity disk setup (equivalent to RAID 5), dropping to around 70MB/sec. But without a RAID controller and only an Atom processor that was to be expected and, even configured this way, performance is unlikely to be an issue for most customers.
Verdict
There's no doubting the enterprise credentials of the WD Sentinel DX4200, which with its solid yet compact chassis, enterprise-class disks and extensive redundancy features really does stand out from the general NAS crowd. It is, however, designed to fit a specific niche, aimed primarily at companies with existing Windows servers wanting to add network storage and nothing more. If that's you then the DX4200 fits the bill nicely. If not, it is still worth considering but faces stiff competition in a very crowded market.We liked
The separate boot disk is a real plus point, making it possible to use all of the capacity of the removable disks for data. It also speeds up installation and, if you opt for a second boot disk, adds valuable extra redundancy.We also liked the flexibility afforded by the Windows Storage Spaces technology which lets you get on with the job of delivering reliable shared storage without having to understand the complexities of hardware RAID.
We disliked
The WD StorCentral dashboard is a nice feature but it doesn't really do much, handing you back to Windows Server tools when it comes to all the important bits, most notably, storage setup and management. Unfortunately getting to grips with the tools and technologies involved can take a lot of time and effort and is a lot more complicated compared to the best of the Linux-based NAS alternatives.We've also become accustomed to being able to download and host a lot of free apps on Linux-based NAS appliances and these simply aren't included with the DX4200. You do get 25 licenses for WD SmartWare Pro backup, to protect user PCs plus the Windows IIS web server. However, if you want to add anything else (which is possible) you have to source it yourself.
Final verdict
A well built storage appliance with lots of enterprise-class features, the WD Sentinel DX4200 is most likely to appeal to existing Windows Server customers wanting to add distributed network storage to their setups. The choice of Windows Storage Server rather than Linux makes this easy to achieve but, by the same token, puts the WD appliance at a disadvantage when it comes to customers looking for a more self-contained, easy to manage, storage solution.Worth looking at but take time to understand the positioning before making a buying decision.
Read More ...
Industry voice: Looking back at 2014: a year of triumph for cybercriminals?
2014 could go down in history as a highlight year for cybercriminals. Cybercriminals have shown that no organisation is safe, regardless of size or reputation. The victim list now boasts the likes of Sony, Apple, eBay, JP Morgan and DIY giant Home Depot to name just a few. To finish 2014 with a bang, cybercriminals brought down both the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live at Christmas, just "because they could".
Big targets
Last year cybercriminals targeted the financial industry and managed to walk away with information for 76 million households and seven million small businesses from JP Morgan, after invading its core network for two months unnoticed. The jig was finally up when a (rare) sloppy mistake gave up the perpetrators.During the time spent infiltrating JP Morgan, the cybercriminals even deleted their tracks, making investigators' jobs harder. JP Morgan spent £165 million (around $247 million, AU$310 million) in cybersecurity measures last year, which thankfully, kept its most critical data safe from unauthorised eyes.
Cybercriminals have also hit the retail sector hard. In 2013, cybercriminals scored one of the largest hauls in history when they stole 110 million payment card details from Target. Last year, cybercriminals hijacked Home Depot for 56 million payment cards, costing it £41 million (around $61 million, AU$77 million) in remedial charges to recover from the theft.
The public, and the industry at large, is getting used to news like this and consumer confidence isn't as easily shaken anymore. It's a far cry from 2007 and 2008 when cybercriminals cracked TK Maxx parent company TJX and Hannafords – creating headline news and causing significant concern for affected consumers, as well as financial and reputational damage to the businesses targeted.
iCloud woes
Then there was Apple. The iCloud breach created one of the bigger media storms in 2014 and drew the most attention in light of the data stolen. This one was clearly just for fun and to remind us that cybercriminals enjoy celebrity gossip as much as the rest of us. A classic phishing scam duped celebrities out of their logins and some clever third-party forensics software allowed cybercriminals to lift data right from iCloud. Then, they were kind enough to share the bounty of photos with everyone, ensuring that celebrity gossip sites and forums had a field day.In the US, cybercriminals expanded their reach to healthcare when they swiped four million electronic health records (EHR) from Community Health Systems. The primary reason for such a theft – each EHR is worth fifty times more on the black market than a credit card number. The FBI Cybercrime Division even issued a warning to the healthcare community that security measures were inadequate and couldn't defend against a basic attack, let alone an advanced threat.
EHRs sell for about £35 (around $52, AU$65) each and can generate profit in many ways – it's possible to sell the medical identity so someone can get an operation they otherwise couldn't afford. Details, like a mother's maiden name, are most likely included as well – extremely useful for identity theft. The FBI acknowledged the value of this opportunity, calling healthcare "a rich new environment for cybercriminals to exploit."
Truly organised crime
Cybercriminals also demonstrated increasingly impressive organisational skills. They began selling hacking services, and running an organisation in a very notably corporate fashion. The BlackShades malware reflects this growing sophistication. After infecting over half a million machines across more than 100 countries, we learned that cybercriminals were running their hacking operation like a very organised and professional business, replete with paid staff, customer service personnel – even a marketing director to promote BlackShades. Now that is well organised crime!The list goes on, pointing to an outstanding year. The cybersecurity market is estimated to be worth about £50 billion (around $75 billion, AU$94 billion) annually, and demand for security solutions is at an all-time high. Yet cybercriminals remain effective. As the industry has improved at stopping them, they have improved their methods, making them more sophisticated and advanced.
Cybercriminals caused a lot of damage and nuisance to businesses and individuals last year, but the key lesson to learn from all of this is that on a corporate and personal level, we must never let our guard down and not fall for the old tricks of clicking on malicious links in emails or websites.
Businesses will need to ensure that they drill corporate IT security policies into the minds of employees, as well as ensure that systems and any applications are patched to minimise the threat of exploitation.
A warning for 2015
While 2014 saw headlines dominated by large businesses falling victim to cybercriminals, it is worth noting that in 2015, no organisation big or small will be safe. Therefore, security measures including patching, antivirus, education and other security methods will be key. As was the case with Sony's PlayStation Network and Microsoft's Xbox Live, cybercriminals will carry out an attack "just because they can".- Sergio Galindo is general manager at GFI Software
Read More ...
In Depth: How to edit photos in iOS 8
Your iPhone's camera is capable of taking amazing shots, but the fun doesn't end there: you can apply a variety of adjustments and effects to liven up your pictures. Photos in iOS 8 has a bunch of new editing tools and holds its own against costly desktop editing apps.
The tools you're likely to use most often are crop-and-rotate and, for portraits, Remove Red-Eye. You may also find the Auto Adjust option handy: one tap of this can improve many images.
For more control, you'll want to get to know the new adjustment options inherited from iPhoto. In Photos in iOS 8 you can manually adjust Light (exposure, brightness and contrast) and Color, and create custom mono conversions. There's also a range of photo filter effects to add the look of cross-processing, instant-camera shots, or "Chrome" among others. There's everything you need to freshen up your shots or transform them completely.
The real stars, however, are the extensions. These enable the Photos app to plug into other apps and add a near-limitless range of new effects and filters.
How to edit photos quickly
Edit and Auto EnhanceOpen Photos to review the shots you've snapped, tap on one, then tap Edit (top right). The editing options appear; their location will vary depending on whether your iPhone is in portrait or landscape mode. Often the most immediately useful is Auto Enhance (the magic wand icon). Tap this and Photos attempts to improve the color and contrast of your photo.
Crop and rotate
Tap the Crop tool. If Photos detects a line in the image that it thinks should be horizontal, it automatically rotates the shot. You can fine-tune by using the wheel, or undo by tapping Reset. To crop, drag the white frame border or its corners, or tap the preset icon to select a fixed aspect ratio. A rule-of-thirds grid appears to help you perfect the composition.
Using Photo Filters
Use Photo Filters to add instant effects. Tap the filters icon to reveal a row of effect previews. Tap each in turn to see how it affects the image. Tap Done to finish. You can remove an effect by tapping its preview again or tapping None, and add further adjustments afterwards. You can revert to the unedited shot at any time, even if you've closed and reopened it.
How to add advanced effects
Remove red-eyeRed-eye (caused by reflected camera flash) can be a problem in portraits. Photos has a built-in red-eye removal tool, which will appear if the app detects a face in shot. Tap the tool (the eye-shaped icon), then tap on each affected eye. Sometimes you need to tap a few times for Photos to locate the red-eye; it can help if you pinch to zoom in first. Tap Done.
Adjustments
The new adjustment options offer both simple and advanced modes. Tap the dial icon, then tap the option you want to adjust (Light, say). You'll see a spectrum of small preview images. Drag this either way to apply the adjustment (lightening or darkening the image, increasing or reducing color saturation and so on). Tap Done to apply or Cancel to reject it.
Expert editing
Want more control? Tap the arrow next to Light, Color, or B&W (or the menu icon with three horizontal lines next to any spectrum of previews) to reveal further controls. Tap an option, such as Highlights, then use the slider to adjust that specific setting. Tap the menu icon to return to the full set of controls. These make it possible to fine-tune images with precision.
How to use extensions in Photos
Install and activateExtensions are a new addition to the Photos app, and they change everything. First you need to install a photo-editing app that supports extensions - we're using Camera360 Ultimate. After installing the app, open Photos, pick a shot and tap Edit. Now tap the Extensions icon (the circle with three dots in it), tap More, and switch on your chosen extension app.
Access Extensions
Your chosen app now appears in the list that pops up when you tap Extensions in Photos. Tap it (you might have to OK an alert the first time) and you'll see a bunch of new editing options, depending on the extension app you've chosen. In Camera360 there is a Blur option: tap this and choose the circular Blur icon. Tap the tick icon to apply the effect to your shot.
Add Effects
Continue adding effects with Camera360. When finished, tap Done to return to Photos, then Done again to save all your adjustments (including those added using Camera360). Tap and hold one finger on the image to view the original, so you can compare it with your edited version. To remove all edits, tap Revert, then Revert to Original. You can do this at any time.
Read More ...
The LG G3's Lollipop update is 'coming soon' in the US
LG's USA mobile Twitter account has revealed that the LG G3 is about to be upgraded to Android 5.0 Lollipop in the US.
"Introducing Lollipop: a sweet treat for your #LGG3," the message reads, with an image that spells "coming soon."
"Life with your LG G3 is about to get sweeter," the image further says.
Lollipop began rolling out to LG's current flagship in November, though only in Korea. It was only a matter of time before it made its way here.
We've no idea on the time frame beyond "soon," so keep an eye out for the update to arrive if you're a proud LG G3 owner just waiting to be back on the cutting edge.
- Android 4.4 has been usurped, but it was king in its day
Read More ...
Walmart really is selling a Vudu-only streaming dongle
Last November we reported that Walmart made its own streaming stick, the Vudu Spark, and that it would exclusively play content from Vudu, Walmart's own streaming service.
It wasn't 100% certain, but now that wonderful dream has been realized, as Walmart has begun selling the Vudu Spark, reports GigaOM.
Vudu.com has a dedicated section for the dongle, where you can get a good look at it and find out "how it works."
Here's a summary: you give Walmart $25, take the tiny Spark home, plug it into your TV, and enjoy streaming content from a single service until you run out of things to watch.
Or, for $10 more, you could buy a Chromecast and watch content from a wide variety of apps and services, including whatever you're playing on your computer. But whatever, you do you.
- Looking for the best laptops? TechRadar has you covered
Read More ...
In Depth: Laptops on our radar for 2015
Laptops are one of those few devices you keep for the long run. Unlike smartphones or tablets, notebooks can cost twice or even three times as much as a mobile device and often last three to five years before you need to upgrade. Like any other big gadget purchase, it's crucial to pick out the best machine on the market.
However, in the lieu of Intel's new Broadwell-U chip packed into many of the machines we saw at CES 2015, as well as more Nvidia Maxwell GPU-toting gaming laptops on the way, it's also important to keep an eye what's just around the bend.
Each laptop is unique in its own way, with eye-catching qualities like gorgeous displays, notable features – like a mechanical keyboard – or a list of components that makes us simply drool.
The machines highlighted below are new releases we've only had a short time with, newly announced units that have piqued our interest, or laptops we've only heard about through rumors and reports. With that in mind, here are the hottest laptops yet to come.
Retina MacBook Air
Starting with the most anticipated laptop of the year, we're hoping (and hearing) that Apple will finally add one of its Retina screens to the MacBook Air. A sizable number of Utltrabook competitors have already upgraded to beyond-HD screens, including the Quad HD Dell XPS 13, 2160 x 1440 resolution Surface Pro 3 and the Samsung Ativ Book 9's sharp 2,560 x 1,600 pixel panel.A Retina MacBook Air seems like a no brainer since Apple's entire product line from the iPad Mini 2 to the iMac 5K already features the Cupertino company's patented high-definition display technology.
According to a few early reports, such a machine will launch in the first quarter of 2015 with a 12-inch display to replace the current 11-inch model, while the 13-inch option will remain. Both models will also purportedly come equipped with one of Intel's latest Broadwell-U processor and a new buttonless trackpad allowing for an even thinner design.
Dell XPS 13 (2015)
Through an amazing feat of engineering, Dell has somehow fitted a 13-inch laptop into an 11-inch notebook chassis. The Dell PS 13's design even tops the MacBook Air, which has long been considered the OG Ultrabook. Senior editor Juan Martinez got some hands on time and wrote, "80% of the XPS 13's upper panel is actually made up of screen. That is 11% more real estate than the MacBook Air 13, despite being 23% smaller than the MacBook."Aside from the svelte profile, everything about this laptop feels premium from the Gorilla Glass screen, aluminum bezels to the carbon fiber palm rests. The thin and light machine also has some impressive specs behind it as well including a Quad HD (3200 x 1800) resolution and a Broadwell-U processor.
On paper, the Dell XPS 13 looks like a strong contender for our compendium of the best Ultrabooks and we can't wait to get some more time to thoroughly review it.
Lenovo LaVie Z HZ750
Lenovo (with a lot of help from NEC) has pulled out all the stops to build the Lenovo LaVie Z as a laptop that's even lighter than some tablets. Claimed as the world's lightest 13-inch convertible notebook at just 2.04 pounds, the HZ750's design hews closely with the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro with a hinge that allows the screen to rotate backwards a full 360-degrees.Being thin and light isn't the only thing this remarkable convertible laptop has going for it. At CES 2015, we were blown away with the HZ750's lighter sibling, the HZ550, which at the time was running a full Windows experience on a 13.3-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IGZO screen with a brand new Broadwell Intel Core-i5 processor humming under the keyboard.
Acer Chromebook 15
We've got high hopes for this laptop, as its the world's first 15-inch Chromebook. Additionally, the Acer Chromebook 15 is also the very first to be powered by a Core-i3 chip from Intel's new Broadwell-U line of processor. Add in a 1080p screen to round out the package and this looks like a great, affordable notebook for students. Parents with younger and more accident-prone tikes might want to also check out the Acer Chromebook C740.Acer has promised the its latest 15-inch model will have an all-day battery life, as we've come to expect from all Chromebooks. While we haven't got a chance to check out the machine ourselves, we've got high hopes this large-screen Chromebook will add another wrinkle to the affordable laptops market.
MSI GT80 Titan
We've reviewed some big gaming laptops. After lugging around the enormous, 12.06-pound Alienware 18, we thought notebooks couldn't possibly get any bigger. Well MSI proved us wrong, and threw a full mechanical keyboard inside its MSI GT80 Titan. This is literally the closest thing you can get to a foldable typewriter.Jokes aside, the MSI GT80 Titan is one of the most capable gaming laptops currently out. Aimed squarely at hardcore PC gamers, the MSI GT80 isn't to be taken lightly – this is a fully capable mobile gaming rig equipped with two Nvidia GTX 980M GPUs in SLI.
- We've tested some of the best laptops in the world
Read More ...
ZenFone 2 product page tells you everything you wanted to know
Asus officially outed the ZenFone 2 at the beginning of January, and now it's revealed everything there is to know about the phone.
The ZenFone 2's product page at asus.com lists its specs and provides some great looks at the upcoming handset.
Here's the scoop: the Asus ZenFone 2 rocks a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display with 403ppi density, a 3.3mm bezel, a 2.3GHz quad-core 64-bit Intel Atom processor, 4GB of memory, a 13-megapixel PixelMaster rear camera, fast-charging tech that gives you 60% power with around 40 minutes of charging, and Aus's ZenUI over Android 5.0 Lollipop.
We knew a lot of that, but it doesn't end there - the official site has a full and comprehensive specs sheet.
The only thing it's missing is the phone's release date, but the Asus ZenFone 2 is expected to launch around the second quarter of 2015.
- The Moto 360 ran circles around the competition
Read More ...
Have a small look at Android Lollipop running on Sony Xperia phones
If there's one thing Sony Xperia users everywhere have been just dying to see, it's how their phones' navigation buttons will look once Android Lollipop arrives on Xperia devices.
Today's a very lucky day, as Sony released some screenshots promoting a recent update to its Movie Creator app - and inadvertently revealed exactly what those soft buttons will look like, reports XperiaBlog.
There's nothing very surprising here, but it is interesting for Xperia fans to catch a glimpse of the simpler, cleaner button icons.
We know that Android 5.0 Lollipop is scheduled to hit the Sony Xperia Z3 in February, but chances are we'll see more leaks before then.
- Read the TechRadar review of Apple's iPad Air
Read More ...
Hands-on review: Surface Hub
There are plenty of giant screens and plenty of whiteboard systems. Surface Hub - which is the new name for the latest Perceptive Pixel system - uses Windows 10, OneNote and Skype for Business to turn the great PPI touch interface into a way to take the pain out of meetings. It's big - and likely pricey - but it's also clever.
The advantage of a whiteboard is that you can walk up to it and, assuming you don't have to clean off the last session, start sketching or making lists. Someone can walk up and write on it with you. Surface Hub is remarkably like that. Even though it's a PC, there's no lock screen or password, just a set of onscreen buttons you touch to start a Skype for Business call, open the whiteboard app or connect a phone or computer.
Or you can just pull the pen off the side of the Surface Hub and the whiteboard opens automatically - like clicking the button on the Surface Pro 3 pen to open OneNote. That's no coincidence; the whiteboard app is actually a special version of OneNote, designed to make it easy for up to three people to write on screen at once - and if you have a remote meeting the attendees can write into OneNote from their PCs too, if they have a pen.
If you've booked the Surface Hub for a meeting - it shows up in Skype for Business like a room, the way you're used to in Lync - that will be listed on the welcome screen. A touch of the screen will let you start.
What you get when you start a meeting is called the Stage; remote participants are in a strip down the side and you can see a thumbnail of your own camera view. There's a bug in this early version so it doesn't switch between the two cameras automatically. The cameras and speakers are tilted in from the sides to give better spatial sound - the Kinect-style 4 microphone array does beam forming so it can pick up one person talking clearly even in a noisy room.
In the middle is the whiteboard, or you can bring up apps you want to use, including Microsoft apps like Power BI or third party apps. I tried several, including Siemens CAD viewer, and the high resolution touchscreen makes them easy to control. If you connect a phone or PC - which you can do with a cable if you have a Mac, or using Miracast for Android and Windows - you can project your screen. I used a Surface Pro 3 with a dongle to send a PowerPoint I could control from the PC, or by swiping and pinch-zooming on the Surface Hub. You can have one app open or drag two apps side by side; a CAD app and a PowerPoint, or two screens from different computers connected to the Surface Hub, or the app you're looking at and the whiteboard you're taking notes in.
Surface Hub is designed for lots of people to use at once - it can detect all ten fingers from ten different people at once, although even 84 inches is a bit small for that big a group. It's very comfortable for two people to stand side by side and write at once. You don't interfere with each other, and you can change the colour of your ink or switch to the lasso or the eraser without affecting the other pen. Inking is very smooth, and rubbing things out is even smoother because the harder and faster you rub, the more ink disappears at once.
The pen is actually touch, but it has a chip in so the Surface Hub knows which pen is which. You can have lots of pens, but only three will work on screen at any one time. What would be nice is if the pen could be tagged as your pen, so the Surface Hub knew who was writing what. This would also make sure you only joined your own meetings, although you can always set Skype for Business to ask you to log in for security. The camera also means you could easily spot someone who's in the wrong meeting.
A 4K screen looks nice on your desk but you don't really need it unless you work with images or video. Surface Hub isn't just 4K at 120Hz, making it a beautiful screen. Like the Surface Pro screen it's optically bonded so there are no gaps between the different layers making up the screen, which means it never looks fuzzy and there's less reflection. On the wall, that plus 4K means you can see enormous amounts of detail up close, or see slides and documents and text clearly from across the room. And it makes the ink crisp, clear and smooth.
It's just like writing with a real pen, but you get a copy of what you wrote mailed to you - and everyone in your meeting - when you're done. And if you have to share the Surface Hub (it will probably be pricey enough that you probably do), then it will wipe your content clean when you're done. Thankfully, a copy is sent your way, too.
Early Verdict
The next version of the PPI screens is even nicer than previous models, thanks both to the beautiful screen, the Miracast support from Windows 10 and the simple interface. Technology sometimes gets in the way in meetings; this feels so easy to use, you might actually get more done. If you can afford it in the first place, that is…
Read More ...
Microsoft to boost Office 365 with Equivio purchase
Microsoft has announced that it has purchased Equivio, an Israeli-based text analysis software startup.
Equivio's aim is to help its customers tackle "legal and compliance challenge" that's linked to managing large amounts of email and documents.
Office already offers some of these features but the acquisition of Equivio should boost that significantly, not least because of its machine learning capabilities, which can be improved simply by adding more compute resources, either locally or through the cloud (think Azure).
In theory, it means that an Equivio system can be trained and replicated across several locations and can benefit – almost instantly - from a corpus of knowledge acquired from other similar Equivio systems as well.
Speed demon
It's not the first purchase by Microsoft in that field; the company purchased FAST, an enterprise search product, back in 2008 for a whopping $1.2 billion, which became the core of Microsoft's Enterprise Search Group.FAST technology is also what powers a new Office product called Delve, which uses the Office graph to facilitate information discovery.
Details of the deal haven't been disclosed but various reports put the deal value between $150 and $200 million.
Read More ...
Galaxy S6 could launch in March with a 20-megapixel camera
Samsung will reportedly benefit from the release of the Galaxy S6 in more ways than one.
Samsung's Electro-Mechanics subsidiary (SEM), which makes its camera modules (among many other things), is supplying the phone with a 20-megapixel optical image stabilization-equipped snapper, reports Korea's ETNews.
And the Samsung Galaxy S6 will launch in March, the site seems to say; SEM will apparently see growth in the first quarter of the year, and the S6 is reportedly launching "a few weeks earlier than originally planned."
That's by no means clear cut, but if the site's data is correct then it seems we could see an announcement in early March around MWC 2015 - which would come as no surprise at all.
Meanwhile there's more and more evidence that the Galaxy S6 will use a Samsung chip instead of the Snapdragon 810 - oh, and the rest of its specs apparently leaked as well.
- Chromecast is smart TV in a stick, and it's brilliant
Read More ...
Buying Guide: The ten best stylish wearables
Let's be honest, the first wearables tended towards the blocky and cumbersome, as they attempted to put a phone on your wrist, chest or head. As they've advanced, they've become a lot easier on the eye (not to mention the wrist/chest/head), with top designers lining up to make their own tech-packed fashion statements. These devices have the brains but also the looks to earn a place on your person.
HP MB Chronowing
Putting the "smart" in smartwatch, this was designed by Michael Bastion, whose CV includes Sotheby's, Tiffany & Co. and Ralph Lauren. A melding of stainless steel and mineral-hardened crystal, with a choice of nylon, leather or rubber straps, it's more attractive than, for instance, a Pebbleand works with iOS and Android devices, lasts a week before needing a recharge, and shows you sports scores, weather, music controls, calendar appointments and more. You can choose from the standard model or the limited edition black version.$349.99 (£230)
Montblanc TimeWalker Urban Speed e-Strap
You like the idea of a smartwatch, but you can't bring yourself to part with your trusty old ticker. What to do? You could buy this smart strap instead, which adds smart skills to your standard watch. The 0.9-inch screen has a 128x36-pixel resolution, and shows emails, incoming calls, texts, appointments and notifications. But it also doubles as a fitness tracker, complete with a pedometer and accelerometer, and can control music stored on your phone. And all without harshing the look of your classic timepiece. It will also come as standard on certain Urban Speed models.£TBC
Mira
This bracelet tracks your steps and calories, but also gives you tips on how to get fitter. Example: "Here's a booty-friendly boost: Start your next walk with 20 squats." Cheers. It's sleek enough to fit in with most jewellery, and comes in two colours: gold and purple. You can take the tracker out and clip it to your clothing, if you prefer.$169 (£111)
Polo Tech Shirt by Ralph Lauren
Wearables aren't just devices you strap to your wrist. This shirt tracks your biometric data while you work out and streams it to your smartphone or tablet. Fire up the companion app, and you can see a breakdown of how hard you worked and when. It reads your stats using biosensing silver fibres woven into the shirt, and can tell you how many calories you burned per hour, your maximum heart rate and steps taken. You can compare these over time, which should be ample motivation. The fabric also wicks away your sweat.£TBC
Ringly
This ring comes with a choice of four stones: black onyx ("Stargaze"), pink sapphire ("Wine Bar"), rainbow moonstone ("Daydream") and emerald ("Into the Woods"). There's also a limited edition version with a tourmalated quartz ("Dive Bar"). Whichever you choose, it'll come with an 18-carat matte gold setting that's very stylish too. It works with iOS and Android and vibrates to alert you to calls, texts, appointments, emails and Twitter and Facebook notifications. There's no screen, so you'll have to look at your phone to see why it's buzzing. But that's a small price to pay to look this good. It'll be out in the spring.$195 (£129)
Intel MICA
MICA stands for My Intelligent Communication Accessory, and it does what it says on the tin. The bracelet features a curved sapphire touchscreen, but it's the catwalk credentials that have garnered headlines: it's designed by fashion house Opening Ceremony, and comes clad in either black water-snake skin, pearls from China and lapis stones from Madagascar, or white water-snake skin, tiger's eye from South Africa and obsidian from Russia. Premium indeed. Intel handles the guts, and like others of its ilk it gives you notifications when they pop up on your smartphone. Interestingly, it also has its own 3G connection so doesn't have to pair with a phone.$495 (£329)
Sony SmartEyeglass Attach
Fashion and tech aren't always such great bedfellows. That's why we love the Sony SmartEyeglass Attach – instead of being a new pair of tech specs, it's an add-on to your existing glasses, so you can get smart skills without letting an IT specialist decide how you look. A module containing a processor, sensors, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi sits on your glasses' arm, with a small OLED display above your eye to show info. You get data like a heads-up display, so you can read emails, text messages, see who's calling, and the rest.£TBC
Withings Activité Pop
This takes most of the features from the premium Activité, packages them in a device that's £200 cheaper, then adds the word "Pop" on the end. With a monochrome design and PVD-coated case, it keeps the clean, simple look of the more expensive Activité but makes it more youthful, urban and better value. Your day's activity is measured on the sub-dial, so you can see it at a glance, and it doesn't swamp you with features: swimming, how many steps you've taken, run detection and basic sleep tracking are your lot. Sometimes less is more.£120
Altruis
This isn't just one piece, it's a whole range of jewellery. Every ring, necklace, bracelet and stone contains a circuit board, Bluetooth, vibration motor and sensors. It syncs to your smartphone and alerts you to what's new. Each piece looks decidedly non-techy, with materials including rose gold and platinum, and you can swap the stone between pieces, so it can be a ring one day and a necklace the next. The app is where the magic happens: choose which alerts you get, who can reach you and keywords to look out for. And you're all set. NB: dungarees are not included in the price.£290
Netatmo June
This could save your life. The June measures your exposure to the sun and pings info to your smartphone, giving you advice on how to proceed. Worried you're not using the right SPF? Think it's time to move into the shade? The June gives you peace of mind. Of course it is a pretty face too – it's cut to resemble a diamond, and comes in three colours: platinum, gold and gunmetal, with a choice of either a leather or silicon wristband. The perfect beach companion.€95 (£72)
Read More ...
Intel Broadwell arrives on Fujitsu's enterprise Lifebook, Stylistic Ultrabooks and convertibles
Fujitsu has unveiled a new Stylistic tablet, two new Lifebook convertible laptops, and an Ultrabook running Intel's latest fifth-generation Core processors known as Broadwell. Broadwell's biggest appeal is stronger battery life, and Fujitsu claims up to 20-hour computing time on the Lifebook T935 convertible.
The enterprise class systems are equipped with Intel's vPro technology and come with security features such as Smart Card readers, embedded TPM, encrypted drives, and fingerprint scanners.
The range of devices include an Ultrabook-class Lifebook T935 2-in-1 with a swiveling tablet hinge, a Lifebook T725 2-in-1 with modular expansion bay, the 14-inch Ultrabook Lifebook U725, and a detachable Stylistic Q775 2-in-1.
Lifebook T935 and T725 convertible 2-in-1
Both 2-in-1 hybrid systems feature a bi-directional rotating hinge to convert the laptops into tablet mode. Fujitsu is highlighting the MIL-STD testing and features like strengthened glass displays and spill-resistant keyboards for road warriors on both systems.
The 13.3-inch T935 features a premium design with materials like magnesium housing and an aluminum palm rest that help keep the thickness at just 0.75 inches (1.9 cm). Though this model will give you up to 20 hours of power on a single charge, mobile users will appreciate the removable battery in the T935, allowing you to carry a spare when you run out of power.
Trading in the slimness of the T935, the 12.5-inch T725 is a no-compromise system with 15-hour battery life and a multitude of expansion options. The modular bay in the T725 can be used to accommodate a second battery while the Lifebook E Series docking station expands the number of available ports when you're using the T725 in the office.
Both models also support optional built-in 4G LTE mobile broadband connectivity.
Lifebook U745
Targeting users of the competing Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Fujitsu is billing its U745 as a 14-inch business-class Ultrabook. The 0.75-inch (1.9 cm) thick U745 features an HD+ anti-glare display with optional touchscreen configuration and the same magnesium housing and aluminum palm rest as the Lifebook T935 2-in-1.With easy access to the battery, memory, and internal storage, users or IT departments can upgrade to a larger capacity SSD or change to a spare battery in the field if needed. A legacy VGA port is also found on the system, allowing easy connection to projectors.
For additional ports, the U745 works with the Lifebook E Series docking station. A backlit keyboard is not a standard option on this device and unlike the 2-in-1, the U745 doesn't benefit from a more rugged MIL-STD tested design.
For security, the U745 also has an option for a palm vein scanner.
Stylistic Q775 2-in-1
Unlike the Lifebook T935 and T725 convertibles, the Stylistic Q775's hybrid design allows you to detach the 13.3-inch display from the keyboard dock for tablet use. Boasting a semi-rugged design, the Q775 has a strengthened 13.3-inch glass display and MIL-STD tested design.
The Q775 also features support for pen input. The optional Shell Concept adds Smart Card, Palm Vein, mounting and mag stripe shells for different computing environments.
Availability
All systems will be coming in February of this year except the the Stylistic Q775, which will arrive in March. Fujitsu has not announced pricing for any of the systems at this time. For comparison, the base model Ultrabook Lifebook U904 that we reviewed came with a suggested retail price of $1549 (around £1363 or AU$1660).- Find out what the ten best tablets are for business.
Read More ...
Beleaguered Windows RT is not dead yet says Microsoft
Microsoft has confirmed that it hasn't yet pulled the plug on Windows RT, its once-promising, often-misunderstood operating system based on Windows 8 and running on ARM processors.
Windows veteran Paul Thurrott was told that Windows RT will not be upgraded to Windows 10 but will get an update that will offer some of the functionality of Windows 10.
Windows RT was supposed to be Microsoft's vision of the future, a platform that borrowed the best bits from mobile and desktop operating systems like an app store and a tightly controlled environment.
For Microsoft, it also meant being able to work with a whole new set of processor vendors (instead of relying on Intel only).
Significant backing
There was some significant industry backing at launch with all major players – bar Acer - having at least one Windows RT device but things quickly fizzled out for two main reasons.Users were confused as to what Windows RT did (and the fact that it wasn't compatible with existing x86 applications) and also the relatively poor performance of products.
Microsoft released a Surface RT device, dropped the RT when it launched a Surface 2 tablet before launching Surface 3 Pro without a Surface 3 sidekick.
Via Cnet
Read More ...
Industry voice: What does 2015 have in store for online businesses?
2014 was the year of the domain, with new domain name extensions becoming available for the first time. The new gTLDs (top-level domains, like .com, .net or .org) created new online real estate. Location extensions such as .London and .NYC, and more general names – like .Photography and .Expert – changed the web forever, and made it easier for businesses to find a place online to call home.
But what are the key trends set to shape 2015, and what do the next twelve months have in store for those navigating the world of online business for the first time?
Let's take a look at a few of the considerations and trends that online businesses should take into account over the course of this year.
Multiple domains
Many businesses have been quick to capitalise on the availability of new TLDs. The new domains offer businesses a big opportunity to define themselves, launch new services or showcase the extent of their offerings.Companies such as West Ham United Football Club, Fortnum and Mason, Meantime Brewery and Metro Bank were among the first to launch websites using the new .London domain last year, and 2015 will likely see a greater number of businesses, both large and small, look to link their company to physical locations or countries.
2015 is also likely to see a growth in the number of domains a company has – tailoring a company's digital identity to suit numerous audiences. For example, airlines offering trans-Atlantic flights could register domains based on route names, as a landing page for flight bookings.
Optimised for mobile
Last year, smartphones and tablets became the dominant devices for those looking to spend online. With the launch of the iPhone 6 and the continued success of larger devices from other manufacturers, 2014 saw a move away from the smaller phone norm as the phablet grew in prominence.As phones get larger, it becomes ever easier for consumers to browse and shop online, increasing the need for great looking mobile sites. Leveraging the mobile web doesn't consist solely of an effective UI: geo-referenced business info, a balanced adoption of high-res photos and videos, direct interactions thanks to click-to-call solutions, and social media integration should also be considerations.
The ability to make payments via mobile is also vital, and a professional, trustworthy site is indispensable if you want to convert an accidental visitor into a repeat shopper.
Marketing shift from globalisation to personalisation
Marketing is becoming more regionalised, localised and personalised. The internet has levelled the playing field between small and large businesses – but if David is to keep pace with Goliath, small businesses will need to replicate how the bigger boys manage and market their global brandsPersonalisation is not a trend. It is a marketing revolution which will transform how we think about and how we manage global brands. Companies will decentralise their structure and increase regional and local influence.
Small businesses have the chance to benefit from this in 2015. They have speed, passion and urgency. They spot opportunities, can move quickly and explore new ideas, and can create a connection with their local customers that a larger business simply cannot.
- Stefano Maruzzi is VP of EMEA at GoDaddy
Read More ...
Available Tags:Epson , download , Windows , Xbox , iOS , LG , everything , Android , Sony , Microsoft , Galaxy , Intel ,
No comments:
Post a Comment